OSHA Inspection: POLAR CORPORATION

Issued

Dec 1, 2015

Abate by

Jan 20, 2016

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $1,750 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(a)(3): Exit routes were not kept free and unobstructed.  Materials or equipment were placed, either permanently or temporarily, within the exit route:  A.  On or about November 19, 2015, Production Shop:  The exit route to the side-hinged fire door near the bay door was reduced to 17 inches by the placement of a piece of pallet changing equipment.

Issued

Dec 1, 2015

Abate by

Jan 20, 2016

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $1,750 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(b)(2): Each exit was not clearly visible and marked by a sign reading "Exit":  A.  On or about November 19, 2015, Production Shop:  There was no "EXIT" sign on or near the side-hinged fire door near the bay door.

Issued

Dec 1, 2015

Abate by

Jan 20, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(b)(4): Signs were not posted along the exit access indicating the direction of travel to the nearest exit and exit discharge when the direction of travel to the exit or exit discharge was not immediately apparent:  A.  On or about November 19, 2015, Production Shop:  The emergency exit route was not identified within the shop.

Issued

Dec 1, 2015

Abate by

Jan 20, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.37(b)(5): Each doorway or passage along an exit access that could be mistaken for an exit was not marked "Not an Exit" or similar designation, or be identified by a sign indicating its actual use (e.g. closet):  A.  On or about November 19, 2015, near Rest Rooms:  A side-hinged door that could be mistaken for an exit was not identified with its actual use or a sign indicating "Not an Exit."  The door was locked with a deadbolt during building occupancy.

Issued

Dec 1, 2015

Abate by

May 31, 2016

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $1,750 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.147(c)(1): The employer did not establish a program consisting of an energy control procedure, employee training and periodic inspections to ensure that before any employee performed any servicing or maintenance on a machine or equipment where the unexpected energizing, startup or release of stored energy could occur and cause injury, the machine or equipment shall be isolated from the energy source and rendered inoperative:  A.  On or about November 19, 2015, Production Shop:  The employer had not developed a lockout/tagout program to address the hazards of unexpected startup of multiple-energy source equipment during service or maintenance.

Issued

Dec 1, 2015

Abate by

Jan 20, 2016

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $1,750 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(1): One or more methods of machine guarding was not provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips and sparks:  A,  On or about November 19, 2015, Production Shop:  Nakamura Tome Methods Slant CNC Lathe, L25 had an unguarded rotating spindle on the left side of the equipment, adjacent to a walkway, 44 inches from the ground.

Issued

Dec 1, 2015

Abate by

Mar 3, 2016

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $1,750 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.212(a)(3)(ii): Point(s) of operation of machinery were not guarded to prevent employee(s) from having any part of their body in the danger zone(s) during operating cycle(s):   A.  On or about November 19, 2015, Production Shop:  In the following instances, equipment was not provided with interlocked guards to ensure employees could not contact the points of operation during the operating cycle.  Spindles continued to rotate while the guard doors were opened:  1.  Nakamura Tome CNC Lathe #L25. 2.  Hitachi Seiki CNC Lathe 4NE-600. 3.  Hardinge Super Precision Lathe.

Issued

Dec 1, 2015

Abate by

Jan 20, 2016

Penalty

Initial $2,800 · Current $1,400 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.242(b): Compressed air used for cleaning purposes was not reduced to less than 30 p.s.i.:  A.  On or about November 19, 2015, Production Shop:  In the following locations, compressed air used for cleaning was not reduced to below 30 p.s.i.:  1.  Matsuura CNC Machining Center MC600VF  2.  Wasino CNC Lathe XL3-J3

Issued

Dec 1, 2015

Abate by

Jan 20, 2016

Penalty

Initial $3,500 · Current $1,750 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.303(f)(2): Each service, feeder, and branch circuit, at its disconnecting means or overcurrent device, was not legibly marked to indicate its purpose, nor located and arranged so the purpose was evident:  A.  On or about November 19, 2015, Inactive Tool Room:  Electrical panels were not clearly marked to indicate the specific purpose of each circuit.   1.   The main service panel had an illegible circuit directory.  2.  The subpanel had a circuit directory that had not been filled in.

Issued

Dec 1, 2015

Abate by

Jan 20, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(b)(1)(ii): Unused openings in boxes, cabinets, or fittings were not effectively closed:  A.  On or about November 19, 2015, Break Room: Electrical outlets on the west wall of the break room had unused openings which had not been covered:   1  A wall mounted 4-outlet receptacle box had two knockouts missing at the top of the box.  The receptacles powered an Emerson microwave oven, General Electric microwave oven and Hamilton Beach toaster oven.  2.  A wall mounted 4-outlet receptacle box had one knockout missing at the right side of the box.  The receptacles powered the Mr. Coffee 10-cup coffee maker, a Mr. Coffee 4-cup coffee maker and a Hamilton Beach electric teapot.   B.  On or about November 19, 2015, Inactive Tool Room:  1.  The 240V main electrical panel was missing breakers or blanks on eighteen openings.  2.  The 120V electrical panel was missing breakers or blanks on ten openings.

Issued

Dec 1, 2015

Abate by

Jan 20, 2016

Penalty

Initial $0 · Current $0

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.305(d)(2): Panelboards were not mounted in cabinets, cutout boxes, or enclosures designed for the purpose and/or were not dead front:   A.  On or about November 19, 2015, Inactive Tool Room:  The door and dead front of the 240V main electrical panel were not fully attached.  When the unlocked door opened, the dead front pulled away from the right side of the panel exposing all of the energized parts inside.

Issued

Dec 1, 2015

Abate by

Jan 20, 2016

Penalty

Initial $4,200 · Current $2,100 Reduced

General-duty citation text

29 CFR 1910.304(g)(5): The path to ground from circuits, equipment, and enclosures was not permanent, continuous, and effective:  A.  On or about November 19, 2015, Break Room:  Current was detected in the metal parts of the following equipment:   1.  The Mr. Coffee 10-cup coffee maker did not have a grounding pin.  2.  The metal-encased Emerson microwave had energy transmitted to its metal parts.